SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SUDAN UNTIL 30 APRIL 2007,

UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTING RESOLUTION 1714 (2006)

Calling upon the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in southern Sudan to urgently accelerate progress in implementing that pact, the Security Council this morning decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) until 30 April 2007, while stating its intention to extend it further beyond that date.

Through the unanimous adoption of resolution 1714 (2006), the Council also called upon the parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement and the N’djamena Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement to respect their commitments and implement fully all aspects of the Agreements without delay.

In addition, it called upon those parties that have not signed the Darfur Peace Agreement to do so expeditiously.

The meeting began at 1:17 p.m. and adjourned at 1:21 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1714 (2006) reads as follows:

“The Security Council

“Recalling its previous resolutions, in particular resolutions 1709 (2006) of 22 September 2006, 1706 (2006) of 31 August 2006, 1679 (2006) of 16 May 2006, 1663 (2006) of 24 March 2006, 1653 of 27 January 2006, 1627 (2005) of 23 September 2005 and 1590 (2005) of 24 March 2005, and the statements of its President, in particular that of 3 February 2006, concerning the situation in the Sudan,

“Reaffirming its commitment to the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of the Sudan and to the cause of peace,

“Welcoming the progress in implementation of security arrangements by the parties of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 9 January 2005, and calling upon the parties to urgently accelerate progress on implementing these and other aspects of the Agreement,

“Welcoming the full deployment of United Nations forces within the United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) in those areas of operation in support of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and acknowledging the commitment by troop-contributing countries in support of this mission,

“Welcoming the improving humanitarian situation in southern Sudan resulting from progress on implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,

“Noting with concern the restrictions placed on UNMIS movements and materiel by the Government of Sudan and the adverse impact such restrictions have on UNMIS’ ability to perform its mandate effectively,

“Expressing its grave concern over the recruitment and use of children in conflict in the Sudan, particularly by Other Armed Groups in southern Sudan,

“Expressing its grave concern over the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Darfur, and reiterating in the strongest terms the need for all parties to the conflict in Darfur, including non-parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement, to put an end to the violence and atrocities in that region,

“Welcoming the decision of the 63rd meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council of 20 September 2006 to extend the mandate of AMIS to 31 December 2006,

“Encouraging the efforts of the Secretary-General and the African Union to implement those provisions of resolution 1706 (2006) on United Nations assistance to the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS), and calling upon the parties to the Darfur Peace Agreement and all other parties in Darfur to facilitate this process,

“Determining that the situation in the Sudan continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,

“1. Decides to extend the mandate of UNMIS until 30 April 2007, with the intention to renew it for further periods;

“2. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three months on the implementation of the mandate of UNMIS;

“3. Calls upon the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Darfur Peace Agreement and the N’djamena Humanitarian Cease-fire Agreement to respect their commitments and implement fully all aspects of the Agreements without delay, and calls upon those parties that have not signed the Darfur Peace Agreement to do so without delay and not to act in any way that would impede implementation of the Agreement;

“4. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

Background

The Security Council had before it the Secretary-General’s report on the Sudan (document S/2006/728), which provides an update on the overall situation in that country since June and contains the Secretary-General’s recommendation that the Council renew the mandate of UNMIS, which is set to expire on 8 October, for 12 months, until 24 September 2007.

One year after the Government of National Unity’s inauguration, the parties have made progress -- albeit limited -- in carrying out their commitments under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the report states. While they are observing their security commitments reasonably well, the implementation of several of the Agreement’s major provisions has fallen behind schedule. Disappointingly, the implementation of the Agreement’s provisions appears to be selective. The parties have not been able to resolve some important contentious issues, and little progress has been made in the crucial areas of power- and wealth-sharing, which together form the Agreement’s cornerstone, including in respect of Abyei, oil revenues, the north-south border and other armed groups. The parties have also done too little to prepare for national elections.

While various ceasefire bodies envisaged in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement are working well, ongoing restrictions on the activities of UNMIS monitors in and around Abyei constitute a clear violation of the Agreement, the report says. The Mission’s inability to operate properly in northern Abyei only heightens suspicions between the parties. That the Ceasefire Political Commission has failed to reach a political compromise on the pivotal issue is unacceptable, the Secretary-General says, urging that body to resolve the matter expeditiously.

The deliberate attacks on 17 August by unidentified armed men on a joint monitoring team near Malakal are particularly alarming, the report adds. The Ceasefire Joint Military Committee is investigating the incident, including the allegations about the involvement of other armed groups. The Secretary-General calls on the two parties to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime are identified and held to account, and that no such incidents occur in the future.

“The people of Sudan have high expectations of peace dividends under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,” the Secretary-General states. To date, those expectations have not been met. While the United Nations has expanded humanitarian activities and increased recovery interventions considerably, with only limited resources at its disposal, accelerated implementation of recovery and development programmes, in particular through multi-donor trust funds, will be critical to help build public support for peace, especially in the south and the three areas. At the same time, donors will need to make good on the commitments they made at the Oslo pledging conference in 2005.

As the Comprehensive Peace Agreement’s implementation is entering a new and challenging phase, the parties must make substantial progress on such tasks as security-sector reform, preparing for the return of internally displaced persons and the national census and future elections. The Secretary-General calls on the international community to support the Sudanese people as they confront these new challenges, and to lend financial, technical and political assistance to the implementation of the Ceasefire Peace Agreement agenda.

Implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement remains a “daunting challenge”, the Secretary-General states. If the international community wishes the Sudan to reap the harvest of a durable peace by the end of the interim period envisaged in the Agreement, everything possible should be done to perform the task of planting the seeds of sustainable peace and development.

The Sudan’s history confirms that peace is indivisible, the Secretary-General states. Efforts to implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement will prove inadequate until durable peace also comes to Darfur. Conversely, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement remains the bedrock on which the Darfur Peace Agreement -- however unsteady it may appear now -- could be built. The Sudan’s people and leaders must tend to both if the country is to finally emerge from conflict and instability. The Secretary-General hopes that the Sudan’s leaders are fully aware of the possible consequences of their negative reaction to the international community’s generous proposals regarding Darfur, which are based on the Darfur Peace Agreement and the joint position of the African Union concerning the strengthening of the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) and the transition to the United Nations.

“There cannot be a lasting solution to Darfur through coercion and violence,” the Secretary-General adds. The United Nations is, therefore, prepared to seek the political path, as was agreed by the Sudanese themselves at Abuja. The Secretary-General is ready to continue to engage all parties involved in order to pursue that path. The Council has a key role to play in the process, but its effectiveness will depend on its ability to act in complete unity. Ultimately, however, the leaders in Khartoum bear full responsibility for the route they may finally choose.

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* The 5544th Meeting was closed.

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For information media. Not an official record.

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